Northeastern Illinois University vs. UIU

Should I go to Northeastern Illinois University or Upper Iowa University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northeastern Illinois University or UIU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Northeastern Illinois University vs. Upper Iowa University comparison
Northeastern Illinois University Upper Iowa University College 3 College 4
Northeastern Illinois University
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Overview

 Northeastern Illinois University UIU
Location Chicago, IL Fayette, IA
Setting Large City Remote Rural
Enrollment 5,756 3,072
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #629 #737
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website neiu.edu uiu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northeastern Illinois University UIU
Tuition (In State) $10,091 $32,589
Tuition (Out of State) $20,182 $32,589
Room & Board $10,742 $9,644
Avg Net Price $14,262 $24,563
Avg Grant Aid $15,143 $25,788
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 100%

Admission

 Northeastern Illinois University UIU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,603 1,405
Admitted 2,886 762
Acceptance Rate 62.7% 54.2%
Enrolled % 17.9% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.34
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 15/21 18/24
SAT Range 810/1010 890/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

 Northeastern Illinois University UIU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (40%)
  • Human Services (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

 Northeastern Illinois University UIU
Graduation Rate 23% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $149 $248

Diversity

 Northeastern Illinois University UIU
% Men 39% 41%
% Women 61% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 33% 66%
% Black 10% 19%
% Hispanic 37% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

 Northeastern Illinois University UIU
% In-State 97% 49%
% Out-of-State 2% 48%

Campus

 Northeastern Illinois University UIU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northeastern Illinois University is larger than than UIU based on total student enrollment (5,756 students vs. 3,072 students)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. UIU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern Illinois University or UIU?

  • Upper Iowa University is 223% more expensive to attend than Northeastern Illinois University for in-state tuition ($32,589.00 vs. $10,091.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.5% higher at UIU than Northeastern Illinois University ($32,589.00 vs. $20,182.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern Illinois University than UIU ($14,262 vs. $24,563)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Upper Iowa University are 11.4% lower than costs at Northeastern Illinois University ($9,644 vs. $10,742)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Upper Iowa University than Northeastern Illinois University (100% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Upper Iowa University students is 70.3% larger than aid received Northeastern Illinois University ($25,788 vs. $15,143)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. UIU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Northeastern Illinois University or UIU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UIU or Northeastern Illinois University .

  • The average SAT score at Upper Iowa University (930) is 60 points higher than at Northeastern Illinois University (870)
  • Incoming UIU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (18)
  • Accepted freshman UIU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (3.1)
  • Northeastern Illinois University has a higher acceptance rate (62.7%) than UIU (54.2%)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. UIU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northeastern Illinois University or UIU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UIU and Northeastern Illinois University.

  • The graduation rate at UIU is higher than Northeastern Illinois University (45% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Upper Iowa University earn on average $2,100 more per year than Northeastern Illinois University graduates after ten years. ($42,100 vs. $40,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University students graduate with a $9,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UIU graduates. ($14,500 vs. $24,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University graduates are paying $99 less per month on federal student loans than UIU graduates. ($149 vs. $248)
  • More Northeastern Illinois University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIU students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 50%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/